The Item That Started It All
by Tashii-Loves-Music
Summary: This was a request for the amazing JupiterGreen :D Using her Sniper and Spy OC characters Wallace and Nero :3 So yay slash :) I may add more chapters... it depends on if she wants another piece done with this storyline :)
1. Pocketwatch

The night air was cool and refreshing in comparison to the scorching heat that came with the daylight out in this barren desert. The night itself was calm and tranquil, the only sound to be heard was the faint whistle of wind and the distant echo of lively chatter from inside the BLU base. Their laugher traveling faintly to Nero's ears.

Nero has never really thought of himself as the type of man to get upset when something of his went missing. Yet here he was, kicking up fine clouds of dust searching frantically for his pocketwatch. This wasn't just any old pocketwatch however, it was a family heirloom. The watch belonging to his father and his father before him.

So naturally it was very precious to Nero.

"How did I manage to lose it!" fumed Nero muttering to himself as the scourged the desert sand for the delicate silver watch. "Too busy teasing the god-damn Sniper to take care of your belongings!" He scolded himself drifting toward the bridge that connected the two towering bases.

One Red, the other BLU.

Nero's search came to a conclusion when his eye sight fell on the worn wooden paneling of the bridge. He looked up at the towering RED base with sudden realization. _Ah ha! _Nero though,_ it must be over there!_

Wallace sighed contently as he stared up at the night sky. Admiring the bright stars that were scattered there illuminating the inky blue sky. Wallace brought his mug to his lips and took a large gulp of coffee, the warmth of the liquid chasing away the chills that came at this time of night. Wallace always enjoyed night's like this. Where there were no clouds hiding the beautiful starry sky.

Just lounging up here in his nest drinking a hot cup of coffee and watching the stars was how Wallace loved to spend his evenings. Especially after the day he'd just had. The BLU Spy had spent most of the battle in the Sniper's nest. Tampering with his coffee cup and jars of jarate. He even caught the spy just rooting around his nest a couple of times.

It made him wonder what the Spy would gain from going through his things...

Wallace's train of thought was abruptly cut short when he heard a French curse from outside his nest. Wallace tore his eyes from the brilliant night sky to the ground outside his base. There he could see the dark, yet distinguished silhouette of the BLU Spy who seemed to be searching the ground frantically.

Wallace thought it was odd that the BLU Spy was creeping around the RED base. It was against the contract to venture to the other team's base during ceasefire. But now that he thought about it, the Spy's action seemed to show that he had lost something.

_Could it be?_

"Merde" sighed Nero feeling completely deflated, his search for his pocketwatch being fruitless. After searching all over the battlefield, as far as he could go without being caught that is, he had come up with nothing. His pocketwatch was no where to be found.

"Hey Spy! Up here" a voice called softly from overhead. Nero looked up to see the RED Sniper leaning out from where his nest was, his hair being tousled by the light breeze. Instead of running full pelt back to his base, Nero replied to the Sniper.

"Yes?" he asked, readying himself in case he had to run.

"You looking for a pocketwatch?" smiled the Sniper casually, seeing unfazed by the fact the enemy Spy was slinking around the perimeter. Nero gazed at the Sniper warily. What was his game? "It just so happens I am... I don't suppose you've have seen one?" He asked curiously watching as the Sniper held up his hand.

"This one by chance?" the Sniper smiled holding a small silver pocketwatch by its thin chain, the starlight reflecting off it's metallic surface. Nero could only nod in response, his eyes not leaving the item in the Sniper's grasp. It could have been worse. The RED Spy could have gotten hold of it.

"I'll be up in a moment" Nero called quietly before disappearing into the shadow with the help of his cloak and dagger.

Wallace chewed his lip nervously, twirling the chain of the pocket watch idly as he waited for the spy to appear. He didn't know why he was so nervous, sat here watching the pocketwatch spin with each twirl. Why hadn't he just thrown the watch to the Spy? Why was he letting the very Spy who had been teasing him all day back into his nest?

That when the door to his nest swung open, revealing Camden the RED Scout. Wallace didn't have a chance to ask anything before the door was closed behind Cam and the Scout's colour and image merged from RED Scout to BLU Spy. "Can I have it please?" asked the Spy tentatively watching Wallace with warily eyes.

Wallace just gave the Spy a smile before throwing the delicate little trinket towards him. The Spy catching it with ease. "I found it on the floor in here after battle, I had a feeling it was yours. I haven't messed with it, just so you know" Wallace added when he saw the Spy looking over the silver pocketwatch with care.

"Thank you" was all the Spy said before tucking the watch into his pocket.

Wallace chuckled softly, relaxing slightly. "So mate, what was today about then?" he blurted out before his mind could fully understand what he was saying. "What do you mean?" countered the Spy, a small smile threatening to grace his lips. Seeing this Wallace pushed further.

"Come on, you spent nearly the whole day up here!" Wallace argued watching the smile grow on the Spy's lips. "I only did my job, Sniper." claimed the Spy, smiling blatantly at the Sniper. "It's your job to go through my personal items is it? And will you stop calling me Sniper? The name's Wallace." The Sniper insisted, obviously wondering what was making the Spy smile.

_I like this name _Nero thought.

"Well then Wallace, My name is Nero and isn't it only right for me to want to get to know you since we have been working against each other so long?" Nero suggested taking a seat beside his enemy. He watched as Wallace tried to come up with a reply but only managing to sputter as he tried to think of a reasonable reply.

"YO! WALLY!" came a shout from the other side of the door, causing both Wallace and Nero to jump suddenly. Their heads bumping together in the progress. Wallace's cheeks warmed suddenly at being so close to the other man. Close enough that he could see the sky blue eyes were rimmed in dark blue and flecked in silver. _Hide_ Wallace mouthed to the Spy standing up sharply.

" Y-YEAH?" stammered Wallace smoothing out his unruffled clothes frantically. The door slammed open and Camden strolled in, his bat resting on his shoulder. "Yo Wally, I'd keep an eye out if I were you, apparently Dell saw a BLU Spy disguised as me about. So if you see that BLU sucker, crack a bullet in his spine for us? Then I can finish him off myself." Camden growled tapping the tip of his cleats with his bat impatiently.

"Yeah sure thing Cam, thanks for the heads up" Wallace lied giving the youth a friendly smile. "Cheers dude!" Camden called before bounding out the room, slamming the door behind him. Wallace didn't move for a second making sure that Camden wasn't going to return before turning back to the empty nest.

"Nero?" Wallace whispered looking around the room expecting the Spy to materialize in front of him. When nothing happened, Wallace sighed and went to take a mouthful of coffee when he saw a piece of paper folded under it. Picking it up he realized that it was in fact a note. The words written in a elegant scrawl beautiful yet easy to read.

_"If you do not want me going through your possessions, Wallace. I suggest we should get to know each other some other way?"_

_Nero._

Wallace gave a chuckle, liking the warm fluttering feeling that he felt in his chest. Walking over to the window he gazed at the sky once more.

Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.


	2. Shower

Wallace loved his campervan. Sure it was a little worse for wear but it was warm, comfortable and a little piece of home. He'd owned dear old Katie since he could drive. He had it shipped over from Australia when he started working for Reliable Excavation Demolition. The only reason Wallace wanted his caravan was just so he had a nice cozy place which was his only, something that wasn't just some plain standard room inside the base.

But everyone else didn't think that his camper was cozy. Wallace's team mates all thought that the Bushman's camper would be a mess, as well as dirty. (Well besides Dell.) But actually Wallace was a bit of a neat freak. Everything had its place and it had to stay there. So because of this, the inside of Wallace's van was spotless and neat.

Well, as much as humanly possible.

They were all men here in the blistering desert; some more than others. They all got dirty when fighting these battles but somehow almost everyone has it in their brain that Wallace was just a dirty old bushman who lived in a worn out van and threw jars of piss at enemies. But actually Jarate was a very useful tool for Wallace. It put out Pyro flames and uncovering cloaked Spies. Jarate had saved his skin more then once in the years he had spent in this war.

So no one really went near Wallace's campervan if they could help it, but that suited Wallace just fine. He didn't mind being alone. If he was ever bothered by someone, it was a rare occasion when Dell would come find him to have a chat or play a game of cards.

So you can guarantee that Wallace was curious when he began to get a feeling that he wasn't alone as much as he though he was. He also began to find signs that someone had been creeping around inside his van, he found the photo of his parents had been moved slightly from its place on his bedside table next to a worn out novel.

He had a good idea about who it was. It could really only be once person really.

Nero.

The BLU Spy had come in contact with him a week ago, after Wallace had seen the him frantically searching for his pocketwatch which had conveniently been lost in the Sniper's nest. So they had exchanged few words before Camden had barged in and interrupted them. The Spy's actions were still a mystery to Wallace as he didn't think it really was part of Nero's job description to go through personal effects.

Wallace knew Spies needed to snoop around, but what could Nero gain from leafing through his things.

This question was still running rings around Wallace's head when he showered later that evening. So late that even the Soldier had retired to his room and all was quiet in the barracks, except the soothing hiss of water streaming from the shower head.

Wallace always enjoyed his late night showers. Not having to engage in idle chit-chat with someone or worrying that a team member would be taking more interest in his neither region than tending to themselves. Wallace had always like his privacy.

However standing under the hot water spraying from the shower head, he had the feeling that he wasn't alone. He had the eerie feeling that there were eyes raking over his body and he wasn't comfortable with that.

"Go away ya bloody spook, ever heard of privacy?" Wallace grumbled keeping his back to the rest of the room, thankful that the room was filled with a damp, sight obscuring mist. Wallace then heard a faint snicker from his right and looked there, expecting to see Nero stood there.

Except it was Jean.

"Have a grudge against us Spies do you, Wallace?" teased Jean through the steam, a cigarette perched between his smirking lips. Wallace just growled in fustration, unhappy with having Jean of all people in the shower with him.

"I just don't like people lurking around is all" Wallace replied gruffly, turning the shower off and hurrying to the lockers, plucking up a towel and wrapping it around his waist. "What are you doing lurking around anyway?" Wallace says as he turned around, only to find that Jean wasn't in the room anymore.

However in his place stood Nero, a wicked grin on his face.

"I can't believe I fooled you, Wallace" Nero confessed, enjoying the befuddled look on the Sniper's face. "Your usual quite observant, I assumed you would have known it was me right off the bat" he continued, settling himself on the bench where the Sniper clothes were piled.

Wallace gave a chuckle, slumping down beside Nero a begrudging smile on his lips. "I did think it was you, snooping around again as usual" he explained, his wet hair dripping beads of water down his slender face. "But I guess I was too tired to realize" teased Wallace watching Nero from the corner of his eye.

Nero discarded the cigarette, having no liking for them anyway and leaned forward smoothing Wallace's damp hair from his face, displaying his lean face and dark amber eyes. Wallace was shocked by Nero's sudden action giving the man a nervous smile.

"You know, you said we should get to know each other some other way. You know, where you don't jump me when I'm showering?" Wallace joked gesturing to the towel around his waist.

Nero chucked lightly causing little creases to appear in the corners of his deep blue eyes. "Ah I did, didn't I? Well I must say I learned some knew things about you from today" he grinned enjoying how the Sniper cheeks redden at the remark. "How about tomorrow night, I come to you van?" Nero suggested resting his head against one of his hands, watching Wallace.

"May as well, you've been snooping in there anyway" Wallace pointed out raising an eyebrow at Nero knowingly. Nero grinned.

"But of course" he winked before standing up and sorting out his suit. "I've probably ruin this thing by now by being in here, oh well"

Nero turned to look at Wallace as he started towards the door. "By the way, I like your tattoo. Il est beau" he smiled shyly before cloaking. Wallace touched where the tattoo lived between his shoulder blade just below the base of his neck. He'd forgotten about it.

Just before Wallace decided to get up and change, he heard a few words of French whispered into his ear.

"Dormez bien cher Wallace."


End file.
